Suffering asthma and a lung condition, Ms Burns, the widow of former deputy premier and local member Tom Burns, said she was not surprised to learn the truth about the irritating "oily" black dust that stained her furniture.

"It's very bad for health, I'm not very happy about it floating around," Ms Burns said. "It does get inside the house."

Testing also confirmed a sample taken from inside the Wynnum home of the Scurr family on Constellation Way contained 20 per cent coal.

The Scurrs' house is in a direct line south of the coal stockpile at the port, and close to the rail link.

ON THE WIND: Windy weather drives coal dust to Wynnum and Manly, particularly during late spring and early summer.

Shane Scurr and his eldest son have suffered asthma attacks after moving there from Nambour, including one so severe it required the ambulance officer to give oxygen.

Port general manager for trade services Peter Keyte said "coal dust does not present an issue" at the Port of Brisbane, citing "the results of long-term monitoring" he declined to release.

RUMBLING THROUGH THE SUBURBS: The number of coal trains passing through dozens of suburbs in Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba could double under the Port of Brisbane's long-term plan to expand coal exports from Fisherman's Island.

The Courier-Mail also conducted testing along the urban rail corridor.

Samples included another reading of 40 per cent coal dust from a rainwater tank in Annerley.

Jacqueline Schneider's home sits near the tracks, where up to 13 trains a day travel from Darling Downs coalmines hauling coal to Fisherman Islands.

She said the cumulative exposure to the coal dust worried her the most.

"I don't smoke because it's unhealthy. You do everything to protect your health, but this is something you can't do something about."

Public health experts and some doctors say coal dust presents a proven health hazard. Large coal particles harm the upper respiratory systems of vulnerable populations, such as asthma sufferers, while tiny particles inhaled deeply into the body increase the likelihood of long-term lung and heart disease.

The state's peak coal body, the Queensland Resources Council, said Darling Downs coalmines would start spraying adhesive veneer on coal train wagons moving through Brisbane from late March to reduce emissions.

The QRC had no comment on coal dust being detected at people's homes, saying it was awaiting the results of state air monitoring tests in Tennyson.

The Courier-Mail did spot checks over several days in suburbs where residents had complained about black dust: Tennyson, Annerley, Coorparoo, Wynnum and Manly.

Of 13 samples collected, the University of Queensland detected eight that contained coal, which has distinct properties under the electron microscope. An interior sample taken from a Coorparoo unit where a girl with cystic fibrosis lives contained trace coal, but also fungus.

Queensland Health officials did not think coal dust concentrations were high enough to create a public risk, citing the results of continuous monitoring stations throughout the city. But they acknowledged coal dust was a nuisance that should be mitigated.

News.com.au's Privacy Policy includes important information about our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information (including to provide you with targeted content and advertising based on your online activities). It explains that if you do not provide us with information we have requested from you, we may not be able to provide you with the goods and services you require. It also explains how you can access or seek correction of your personal information, how you can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with a complaint of that nature.

A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites.